LANGTONS is launching an online auction – ‘Champagne: Auctioning the World’s Finest’ – that promises to be Australia’s biggest ever.
The online auction will run for two weeks from 26 November to 8 December, with a line-up of old and rare cuvées alongside examples from cult grower producers from the sparkling capital of the world.
LANGTONS is aiming for ‘Champagne: Auctioning the World’s Finest’ to be the largest single-region and Champagne-dedicated auction in its history. It is seeking to double the current record for the largest Champagne auction held by the wine merchant, which was the famed Danny Younis Collection. It made a total of $210,951 of sales in the Champagne category when it ran in September 2023.
These figures are expected to be reached through a remarkable line-up of wines covering back-vintage releases, low-dosage, 750ml, and double magnum bottles from renowned houses and pioneers in the trending grower Champagne sector.
Headlining wines include the Salon Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs 1971 magnum (expected to sell for $10,000 to $12,000) and the Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Brut Karl Lagerfeld Edition 1998 (expected to sell for $8000 to $10,000).
For those looking to purchase ahead of the curve, the 2002 Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Millesime Brut (expected to sell for $500 to $600) will be available to bid on from one of the original producers in the grower Champagne space. Other highlights include the Billecart-Salmon Louis Salmon (expected to sell for $300 and $350) and the Krug Vintage Brut 1996 (expected to sell for $1500 to $2000).
LANGTONS hopes to echo a similar success of Sotheby’s The Ultimate Champagne auction held in Paris earlier this year which included rare vintages of renowned labels such as Krug, Salon, and Dom Pérignon. During that auction, it was reported that more than half of the lots exceeded their pre-sale high estimates by a significant amount.
Australia’s growing taste for the category means it is one of the strongest markets for the wine in the world. Imports of Champagne jumped from just 890,000 bottles in 2001 to a staggering 10.5 million in 2022, with a demand for variety to see a record-high number of 135 Champagne houses, 187 growers, and 15 coopératives imported.
According to Comite Champagne, Australia currently sits as the sixth largest Champagne market by both volume and value, behind the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, and Italy.
“There’s no doubt Australians have always had an affinity for Champagne but we’ve seen this desire grow exponentially across the last decade so we are excited to feed this appetite with the largest ever Champagne-dedicated auction,” said LANGTONS Head of Auctions and Secondary Market Michael Anderson.
“Avid collectors will be able to bid on rare and exclusive Champagnes that will add a new depth to any growing collection or make an unrivalled start to a new one.”
Learn more about the auction here.